1) If I were the couch sleeping houseguest I would simply move a piece of furniture to block the light, lean a book against the wall over the outlet, or throw a pillow at it. Innovate and overcome...

2) I find it doubtful that UL would ever approve the proposed Snaplight connection method. In years gone by that would be the kiss of death for any electrical product intended for the US market, but not today I guess.

The migrane device is a valid and useful product. If I am not mistaken it is a modern and stylish version of a treatment method that has been in use at least in migrane research for decades.

William, I'm not really defending Decora, just pointing out that even if your house has the older style fixures, if you have a GFCI, that will be the one Decora product in your house. I've never seen them any other way.

Umm, I don't believe there is any such thing as 3.3volt USB. There's 5 volt USB at a variety of current levels. Obviously if you plug in a device that doesn't draw much current, no problem. If you plug in a device that wants more, it senses how much can be provided and just charges more slowly if the source can only provide 500 mA, the lowest level. Pretty much foolproof.

USB 3.0 has some other voltages, but uses a different plug/jack, so no room for error there either.

Larry, OK about the GFCI devices Thatr is the one that belongs in a standard outlet box. I have installed plates with video, cable TV connections, phone, and network connections, and not a single one of them used that rectangular opening format. Using that type of cover adds to the cost and complexity of the installation and adds no value at al, only expense. I have seen the USB + outlets devices and really I don't feel comfotable with a device like that. It may have UL approval, which means that it won't start fires or electrocute people, but I can't think of a single USB charged device that I would choose to leave near an outlet. In addition, how does one know if that USB outlet is 5 volts ot 3.3 volts? I do wonder about that, I think that it would matter. At least it would matter to me.

William, AFAIK the name says it: "Decora" - a more modern, clean look.

I do much prefer the large rectangular light switches though - much easier to hit with an elbow (or even shoulder) when your hands are full than the old toggle style. Given that, I guess it makes sense that the outlets mimic the switch style.

The Decora opening also leaves room for lots of other kinds of outlets: network, video, USB/5V+120VAC, and my personal favourite: Smarthome Insteon keypads, with 6 or 8 buttons in the space of a single switch. Saved me a fortune in rewiring.

A few weeks ago, Ford Motor Co. quietly announced that it was rolling out a new wrinkle to the powerful safety feature called stability control, adding even more lifesaving potential to a technology that has already been very successful.

It won't be too much longer and hardware design, as we used to know it, will be remembered alongside the slide rule and the Karnaugh map. You will need to move beyond those familiar bits and bytes into the new world of software centric design.

People who want to take advantage of solar energy in their homes no longer need to install a bolt-on solar-panel system atop their houses -- they can integrate solar-energy-harvesting shingles directing into an existing or new roof instead.

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